Making- ax-polls



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, DC.

UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

D. RESTEP, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAKING `AX-IPOLLS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,880, dated October 14, 1856.

e chine. Fig. 2 is a perspective representation "partially bent over.

of the dies or swages used for spreading the corners of aX polls, the upper and lower die being alike. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the rolls at right angles to their axes, with the dies for spreading the corners. The arrows in this and the other figures indicate the direction in which the rolls t-urn. Fig. 4 is the upper, and Fig. 5 the lower die for swaging the eye of aX polls. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the dies, Figs. 4 and5, set in the rolls. Fig. 7 is the upper, land Fig. 8 the lower die for drawing the ears of Kentucky axes. i Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the dies Figs. 7 and 8 set in therolls. Fig. 10 is the upper, and Fig. 11 the lower die for rolling solid head aX polls. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the dies Figs. 10 and 11 set in their rolls. Fig. 13 represents `the ax poll after having undergone the first opera-tion of spreading the corners. Fig.` 14 is a side view of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is the `ax poll having all four corners spread. Fig. 16 is a side view of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 represents the ax polls after one-halfof the eye of the aX has been formed. Fig. 18 is a side view of Fig.

17. Fig. 19 represents the ax poll when both halves of theeye are swaged, and the edge` is pressed out rounding. Fig. 20 is a side view of Fig. 19. Fig. 21 shows the aX poll 1 Fig. 22 shows the ax` poll still further bent over. Fig. 23 is a side view of Fig. 22. Fig. 24 is a solid head aX poll formed but not bent over, (part of one side is removed as both sides are alike). Fig. 25 is a side view of Fig. 24. Fig. 26 is an end view of a solid head `ax poll bent up. Fig. 27 is a side view `of Fig. 26.

In the several figures like letters of reference denote similar parts of my machinery i dies aX polls, &c.

AX polls, as ordinarily manufactured, are made from rectangular slabsof iron rolled to uniform `thickness. These slabs are nicked in the center, at the point where they `are to be doubled, and the cavity or depression for the eye of the ax is made by hold ing ther slab undera trip hammer, first on one side, and then on the other, until a de-4 pression is made deep enough to'form the eye, when the slab is doubled up. To make a good aX these depressions must be of uniform depth and size, and each of them at the same distance from the nick in the center of the slab; if this is not the case, when the slab is doubled up, the depressions to form the eye will not come exactly together, and the consequence is that the eye will be crooked; and 1t is necessary, 1n this case, to insert a right shape where the bit is to be inserted.`

The spreading is done by a trip hammer, and depends for its accuracy, solely onthe skill and judgment of the workman, for if one side is spread wider than the other, they will not t when they come together, and if either side is` hammered thinner than the other the bit will not be in the center of the aX poll; it is therefore often necessary to trim one side or the other before the bit is inserted, andthis difficulty in making the two sides of the aX poll of uniform size and shape is a serious hindrance in the manufac- Y ture of axes. Nor is the process rendered much easier by passing the ax polls between rollers turning, as usual, lso as to draw the iron through them, for to accomplish this successfully, the rolls 'must be adjusted and the dies altered to suit the various sizes, patterns and weight of the different styles of axes, and `even in making one size of ax, the slightest difference in the thickness of the slabs of iron, out of which the axes are to be rolled, makes it necessary either to alter the gage of the rolls, or to trim the ax polls after they are rolled. This arises fromthe fact that to make a good aX, each half of the `aX poll must be of the same size, and contain the same `quantity and weight of iron, so that, (as athick piece of iron will roll out longer than a thin piece) `if the slab is `too thin for the gage of the rolls, the side .which passes last through the dies will be too short, or if too thick, it will be too long; and thus, in bothcases, the ax poll will have one side longer than the other.

I am enabled to overcome all these` difliculties by my invention, which consists in the use of dies or swages, of such a shape as to I former in the eye to give it the right shape. A diiiiculty also arises in spreadingthe eX- form only one half of the ax poll, set in rollers working so as to eject the iron inserted between them, instead of drawing it in, in combination with adjustable gage, whereby I am enabled, by having one pair of dies for each different style of ax, to make therewith axes of any desired size or weight, on the saine dies; by merely altering the gage of the rolls, or the adjustable gage; and even if the slabs should be of different weiOht or thickness, the ax polls will be perfectly symmetrical; the two sides being exactly alike, with the eye straight, and the only effect of any excess or deficiency of iron in the slab, being that the head of the ax will be heavier or lighter. Or I produce the same effect by setting my dies (constructed as before to form only one-half of the ax poll) in rolls turning in the usual direction, but projecting so far from the face of the rolls that the iron inserted between the dies is not drawn in by the rolls, but is merely swaged or compressed by the dies, and can be readily withdrawn from between the rolls, so'soon as it is released by the dies; in which case the effect will be precisely the same as that which I shall proceed to describe in my drawings and specification; my invention consisting, not in the direction in which the rolls turn at all, but in the use of dies or swages so constructed as to form only onehalf of the ax poll at each operation, for the purpose of leaving all the excess or deficiency of iron in the head of the ax, while the sides and eye are of exactly uniform size,

shape and weight.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings (Fig. 1) a, a, are the housings, or frame, which support the rolls I), b, the journals of which are supported by the bearings e, e', in the usual manner. The rolls do not come in contact with each other, but are geared together with the cog wheels d, d, so as to move in opposite directions as they would do if they touched each other. The rolls b, b', are of equal diameter and the cog wheels d, cZ, have the same number of teeth. The distance of the upper roll from the lower one is regulated by turning the screws s, s, which press against the upper bearing c', of the upper roll b, and by turning the screw nuts z', c", on the extremity of the rods la, lc, to which the lower bearing e of the upper roll b is suspended. By this means the upper roll Z9 may be lowered or raised to or from the lower roll b. In the face of the rolls Z), b, are inserted the dies c, c by which the ax polls are pressed or swaged into their proper shape. These dies are of the shape shown in Figs. 2, 41, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11, varying according to the style of ax to be formed by them; and must project from the face of the rolls so far as to permit the iron, which is to be swaged by the dies, to pass between the rolls without coming in contact with the face of the rolls, especially where rolls are used turning so as to draw in the iron. They are wider at one end than Vthe other, and are broader at base than on the top; this double taper being designed to fasten them into grooves cut in the surface of the rolls, without the aid of keys or bells, so that they may be readily removed and replaced by others, as occasion may require. There may be three sets of dies, set in each pair of rolls, so that all the successive operations of swaging the ax polls, may be performed on one machine. One of these sets of dies is for spreading the corners of the slab, out of which the ax poll is to be made; another is to swage the eye; and the third to draw out the ear in Kentucky axes.

Behind each set of dies, and immediately on a level with the space between the rolls is placed a guide or stop g, see Fig. 3 (the guides being concealed by the rolls in Fig. 1.) These guides g, may be adjusted by means of the screw f.

My machine is designed to form an ax poll out of an oblong slab cut from a piece of iron rolled to the proper thickness. This slab which is made of the required weight is first heated, and is nicked across, midway from either end, it is then held in a pair of tongs, and inserted between the rolls, to be swaged by a pair of dies (the shape of which is shown in Fig. 2,) which compress the corners of the oblong slab, drawing them out or spreading them, as it is termed, as shown in Figs. 13, and 14. The way in which this is done will be seen by Fig. 3. The rolls turn in the opposite direction, (relatively to the position of the operator,) from that in which rolls turn which are used for rolling iron; that is, instead of drawing in the iron from the front of the machine and delivering it behind, they turn outward, so as to eject the iron introduced between them from the front as shown by the arrows in Figs. 3, 6, 9, and 12. The operator, looking between the rolls,*so soon as the pair of dies he desires to use, appear in sight, inserts the slab of iron between the dies, until it touches the guide g (see Fig. 3) which, regulating the distance to which the iron is thrust between the rolls, determines the exact position of the pressure given by the swages or dies. The slab of iron being thus inserted between the spreading dies, with the nick 12 at right angles to the axis of the rolls, two corners of the iron on each side of the central nick 12 are squeezed between the swages or dies, and spread out, as sho-wn inFig. 13, it is almost immediately forced back, toward the operator, being delivered from the swages, on the same side of pressed out lengthwise, by a die or swage the rolls as that on which it was inserted. These spreading dies, (see Fig. 2) have a depression in thecenter, so as to press the corners and leave a ridge in the middle. When one edge of the ax poll is spread it is turned, and theother edge is inserted in like manner, when it presents the `appearance shown in Figs. 15 and 16; the two edges of the ax poll being now wider than the slab is at the nick n midway from either end. After spreading the four corners the next rocess is to form the eye, this is done by inserting the slab first on one side and then an the other side, holding it so that the central nick n is parallel to the axis of the rolls between dies.

The spreading of the corners leaves each edge of the slab thicker in the middle than at each corner (see Fig. 13) the object of which is that` when the eye is swaged as hereafter described this thickness may be made for that purpose giving the edge that rounded shape corresponding to that of the bit of the ax (see Figs. 4L and 5) the upper die c impressing on one half of the ax poll the hollow or furrow which forms one half of the eye of the ax. The slab is inserted between the rollers until it touches the guide g, the elfect of the guide being that the eye is placed exactly the same distance from the center of the ax poll, on either side of the nick n, and if one of the slabs of iron should happen to be thicker than the other, the only effect would be that the excess of iron would be pressed from each end toward the center, making the head of the ax somewhat heavier, but not otherwise affecting it, as the two half eyes, being in exactly the same position, the eye will not be crooked when the slab is doubled up. j

If the ax is designed to be made with ears, as a Kentucky ax, the upper eye swage is hollowed out so as to make a ridge in the center of the eye, by leaving the iron thicker there than at the sides. This ridge is then drawn out to one side, by inserting the ax poll between the rolls, Figs. 7 and 8, first on one side and then on the other, forming an ear, the length of which is regulated by the thickness of the ridge left in making the eye, and by the distance to which the ax poll is` allowed to pass between the ear? drawing swages, by the guide g. The ax poll, being thus formed, is doubled at the nick n, when the two half eyes will be formed to come exactly together, and the head of the ax is welded up. It is then ready for the insertion of the steel bit, which is done in the usual way, and the subsequent process of tempering and polishing.

The process which I have described thus minutely is the manufacture of split head axes made with a nick, as described, and afterward welded up, but by the use of a different set of dies, for forming the eye, I make solid head axes equally well. The dies used for this purpose are of the shape shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the lower die having a depression to receive the ridge which forms the solid head, which is thereby projected from the under side of the slab, and not from the same side as thaton which the eye is formed. By using these dies, first on one side and then on the other, the slab is pressed int-o t-he shape shown in Figs. 24 and 25. The ear is drawn out (if required) in the same way as before` described, for making a split head ax; and then the slab is bent up (as shown in Figs. 26 and 27) on either side of the solid head. If the swaging dies are set in rolls turning (as is usual, in rolls for rolling iron) so as to draw the iron in, the guides g, set on the far `side of the rolls, cannot be used, as the slab could not be inserted between the dies, so as to reach the guide g, until they were too far around to press the iron. In this case guides must be used attached to the rear end of one or bot-h of the dies, projecting upward so that the slab of iron can be pressed against this projection, and thus` regulate the point at which the pressure is to be applied to the iron. These projecting guides attached to the dies must be adjustable, so as to permit the dies to be used for making axes of various sizes. Axes thus made, must be uniform and regular in shape, as each side of each ax poll, being pressed from the edge toward the center, must be precisely alike,

any excess of iron being as before stated pressed from either end, toward the center, increasing the weight of the ax, without impairing its uniformity, or giving it a `crooked eye. Thus all subsequent adjustment or trimming of the ax poll is rendered entirely unnecessary.

If it is desired to make axes of any given pattern, the proper dies are inserted and the process is conducted as just described if it is then desired to increase the size of the ax, without varying the patterns, it is done by leaving the dies in their place, raising the upper roll b by the screw s s, and nuts z', i, so as to make the sides of the ax thicker, and moving the gage g, a little fart-her from the rolls, so as to accommodate the position of the eye to the increased length of the slab from which the ax is to be made.

Axes may be made to the exact weight required, by weighing the slabs (allowing for the bit which is to be inserted afterward), so that 'axes of various sizes, but of similar pattern, may be made from the same set of dies, and if a different pattern is required the dies may be readily altered.

Independently of the advantages in the construction of ax polls, incident to the method of manufacturing them hereinbefore described, it saves the employment of `one at the back of the machine to receive thel iron and pass it over to the operator in front.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The manufacture of aX polls by oompressing one halt1 only of the ax poll at each operation, between dies or swages of the shape described, projecting from the face of the rolls, in which they are set, so that the ax poll can be inserted and Withdrawn Without coming' in Contact with the rolls in combination with the use of the adjustable guide g, either attached to. the dies, or separate therefrom, for the purpose of applying the pressure necessary to form the ax poll, in such a manner as to leave any excess or deciency of iron in the head of the ax poll;

thus securing exact uniformity in the sides oit the ax poll, and enabling aXes of various size to be made from the same dies, by simply adjusting the distance of the rolls, and the gage, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of July A. D. 1856.

DAviD P. ESTER lVitnesses N. BUCKMASTER, lV. BAKEWELL. 

